Written by Joshua Soto (LIU Post Sports Information)
Brookville, N.Y. – Junior Emily Miller tallied a career-high six goals to match the program's single-season goal record, as the fourth-seeded LIU Post field hockey team earned a 9-3 victory over the fifth-seeded Merrimack College at Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
With the win the Pioneers, now 16-3 on the year, advance to the semifinal round of the NE-10 Conference Championship where they'll meet the tournament's top seed, St. Anselm.
Alyssa Lopresti opened the scoring less than a minute into the game, but the Warriors answered back with back-to-back goals in the sixth and seventh minutes to take a 2-1 lead over the Pioneers.
Miller tallied her first goal of the game in the 11th minute when slotted the ball home for the equalizer. Kaycee Zelkovsky gave tallied her 13th goal of the year in the 24th minute when she finished a corner off from Julie Gysels to take a 3-2 lead into the half.
The Pioneers doubled their lead on the other side of the break when Miller bagged her 32nd goal of the season in the 36th minute and completed the hat trick four minutes later to give LIU Post a 5-2 lead.
Miller continued to find the goal in the 40th, 41st, and 50th minutes to extend the Pioneers lead to six (8-2), but a Merrimack goal cut the Warriors' deficit 8-3.
Alexis Zaino capped off the evening's scoring in the 64th minute when she beat the keeper from the right side.
Freshman Rachel Vellis (16-3) picked up the win for the Pioneers in an eight-save effort. Merrimack's Katharina Ohmen recorded eight saves as well.
Miller's six goals increase her season goal and point totals to 35 and 76, respectively.
The Pioneers semifinal match-up will take place on Friday, November 5 at 6:00 pm in Manchester, N.H. The winner advances to the tournament final on Sunday, November 5.